How to Ace Marketplace SEO

Gilles Couvreur
10/18/2022

To sell your products on online marketplaces, they must appear in the search results. Here’s how to enhance your product visibility & establish yourself as a leading marketplace vendor.
 

Every business wants to be found online, and if you're selling products or services on online marketplaces, then your marketplace SEO is vital. Here are our tips on how to ace marketplace SEO in a way that will help your marketplace listings rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

What is a Marketplace?

A marketplace is an online business directory where buyers and sellers can find each other. In order to get listed on a marketplace, you need to submit your product information, pricing information, and images.

marketplace seo

There are many different marketplaces, but some of the most popular ones include Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari.

Why is Marketplace SEO Important?

Marketplace SEO is one of the most critical aspects of your online presence because it helps you sell more products. In fact, around 93% of all web traffic originates from a search engine. That means if you can rank well in search engines, you will increase your sales significantly.

There are a few reasons why ranking well in Marketplace SEO is so important: 

  1. Visibility: People are more likely to purchase something if they can find it easily on the web. Good marketplace SEO can help your products be more visible. 
  2. More Traffic = More Sales: SEO can increase traffic to your store. Marketplace sellers have the opportunity to connect with more buyers because buyers can find and buy products from sellers who are located all over the world.
  3. Repeat Business: Marketplace buyers often come back for more so marketplace SEO can help you build a loyal customer base.

Marketplace SEO principles are pretty standard and can be applied across the board, regardless of the marketplaces you sell on. So, whether you're on Etsy, Poshmark, or eBay, the below tips will boost your rankings on any platform. 

Easy Tips To Improve Your Marketplace SEO

Now that we’ve covered marketplaces and their importance, here’s how to enhance your listing visibility to increase sales:

Conduct Keyword Research

When researching keywords for your marketplace SEO strategy, you want to ensure that the keywords you choose are relevant to the products and services you are offering. You also want to ensure that the keywords are specific to your marketplace. For example, if you sell clothing, you want to target keywords like "women's clothing" and "girl's clothing." 

When choosing keywords for your marketplace SEO strategy, it is important to keep search engine algorithms in mind. Google's "natural search" algorithm favors organic traffic over paid traffic. This means you should focus your marketing efforts on getting more organic clicks to your listings rather than paying for ads. 

For this reason, it is important to choose keywords that people will search for when looking for what you offer. Additionally, it is vital to target niche markets to increase your chances of success. This is where long-tail keywords come into play - you niche down to reach very targeted and "hot" leads. 

Pay Attention To The Listing Title

When creating a listing title for your marketplace product, it is essential to remember two things: the title needs to be catchy and keyword-rich. A catchy title will help potential buyers find your product more quickly on the marketplace, while a keyword-rich title will help you rank higher in search engine results for relevant keyword searches. 

Below is an example of an effective Etsy title for a Safari-themed mobile. You will notice it is rich in potential keywords and search terms.

listing title

SimilarWeb has a magic formula for compelling listing titles when selling used items: Brand + Product + Best Feature + Size/Model + Color. 

So, if you were selling vintage clothing, your title may look like this: Chanel Blazer Vintage Like-New Size M Black. 

Write Eye-Catching Listing Descriptions

To rank higher in search engine results for your Marketplace listings, you must focus on writing stand-out listings descriptions. This is a crucial part of your SEO strategy and can help you attract more buyers and boost your seller rating. 

Here are five tips for writing effective Marketplace listing descriptions:

  1. Be Clear and Concise: Keep your listing descriptions short and to the point. Don't ramble on about the item's features or how it works. Instead, focus on why someone would want to buy it and what unique selling points it has.
  2. Use Interesting Words and Phrases: When you write a listing description, use words that will catch people's attention. Try using terms like "unique," "exotic," or "collectible." And make sure that all of your keywords are included in the text!
  3. Keep It Informative: If you can include useful information about the item in your listing description, do so. For example, if you're selling a used book, include information about the condition and any markings inside.
  4. Talk About the Item's Features: Many people are interested in buying items that have specific features or benefits. So be sure to highlight any stand-out features or benefits to potential buyers.

Additional Reading: '17 Content Optimization Tips to Boost Traffic and Conversions'

Show Off Your Listing's Benefits & Features

When selling products or services on a marketplace, it's important to showcase the benefits of your listing. This will help you stand out from the competition and attract potential buyers. 

  1. Description: Fill out your product's full description with all the key information buyers need to know, such as features, pricing, and delivery dates. Make sure to list any exclusions and conditions that apply.
  2. Images: Upload high-quality images that make your product look appealing. Use images that show off key features demonstrate how it can be used, or show how it can improve customer engagement.
  3. Reviews: Include reviews from past buyers in your listing description and on your product page itself. This will give buyers confidence that they're making a wise purchase and increase the chances of them buying your product or service.

Accurately describing your products with rich descriptions and appealing images will inform your customers. Lots of good reviews will build trust & win them over. 

Invest In High-Quality Images

One of the most important things you can do to improve your marketplace SEO is to invest in high-quality images. Not only will this help your listings rank higher in search engines, but it will also make your visitors feel more engaged with your content.

To ensure that your images are of the highest quality, always use a photo editor to crop and adjust them before uploading them to your website. 

See an example of attractive listing images for a dog bowl for sale.

dog bowl

Additionally, make sure you include alt tags with all of your images. This will help Google identify and index them as part of the overall content on your page.

Finally, ensure you're using keyword-rich titles and descriptions for all your images. This will help Google associate your images with the keywords you want them to rank for.

Use Video Where Possible

When you want to stand out from the crowd, video is a great way to do it. Not only does video capture attention, but it can also be highly persuasive and engaging. If you want to rank high on marketplace SEO, make sure you're using video as much as possible.
 

videos
Source

Video can be helpful to show an item in use and demonstrate it is in good working order, especially for electrical appliances. For example, if you're selling make-up, you could add a short clip to your listing on how to apply the palette. You get the idea. 

Foster Customer Reviews

Creating a customer review program on your marketplace effectively fosters word-of-mouth marketing and drives more traffic to your store. Here are four tips for creating and managing a successful customer review program:

  1. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews: Make sure the review form is easy to find and fill out and make it possible to post reviews right from your product pages. If you're using a third-party review service, make sure they have easy ways for customers to submit reviews.
  2. Promote reviews through social media and other marketing channels: Make sure you're promoting positive reviews as much as negative ones, and consider rewarding customers who leave helpful reviews.
  3. Keep reviews updated and accurate: Make sure you track which reviews have been left, and make sure all the information in a review is correct (including the product ID, title, and price). If a review is inaccurate or offensive, remove it promptly.
  4. Respond to reviews quickly and politely: If customers have feedback about their experience with your product or service, be responsive and address their concerns quickly. Thank them for their feedback and take any necessary steps

Read this: '5 Ways to Deal with Negative Reviews for Your Business'

Hit The Right Price Point

One of the most important aspects of selling online is your pricing strategy. You need to find the right price point to attract the right customers and stick to it.

First, you need to consider what your competition is doing. Are they charging more for their products than you are? If so, it may be time to adjust your price point. However, if you're finding that your products are selling at a premium compared to your competitors, it may be worth sticking with that higher price point. There's nothing wrong with charging more for high-quality goods or services.

Second, think about what kind of customer you want to attract. Prices can reflect this by catering to certain demographics. For example, if you sell luxury goods, you may want to target affluent customers. 

On the other hand, if you're selling essential products for everyday life, you may want to target a broader range of buyers. 

In either case, make sure that your prices reflect this target market.

Marketplace SEO - A Small Investment for a Big Payout

Investing time into marketplace SEO can help boost your traffic and, as a direct result, your sales. The more people who can find your listings on search results pages, the more people who can potentially purchase your products. Marketplace SEO isn't as complicated as it seems. By strategically placing keywords and optimizing your listings, you can enjoy higher rankings and more sales down the line. 

Hire an SEO agency to assist your business with marketplace SEO.

Additional Reading:

author

Gilles Couvreur

Gilles Couvreur is the founder of Crosslist, a productivity tool that allows sellers to list quickly on the world's largest online marketplaces. In his free time, he loves to share his knowledge gathered through years of experience.
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